1. Palermo
Of course, the bustling capital of Palermo has Norman palaces and churches and crumbling Spanish Baroque facades integrated into the modern port city.
2. Taormina
Sicily’s most attractive resort commands a splendid ridge-top view of the Mediterranean from its hillside villas and hotels (a cable car connects it with Mazzarò beach). Behind the town looms Mount Etna. Goethe, in Italian Journey, described Taormina as ‘the greatest work of art and nature’, and writers and artists still settle here today, bewitched by its light.
The most celebrated Sicilian passeggiata is along the elegant Corso Umberto and Via Roma. With postcard panoramas south along the coast and to Mount Etna to the west, the Greek Theatre provides an atmospheric setting for summer festivals.
3. Monreale
The hilltop suburb of Monreale, 8km (5 miles) southwest of Palermo, has Sicily’s finest 12th-century Cathedral as well as one of the best medieval mosaic cycles in Europe. Go to the back of the church to see its wonderful russet and brown stone chancel of interlacing arches, Gothic rose windows and Arab windows with pointed arches.
In the grandiose interior, the luminous 12th- and 13th-century mosaics of the nave and apse depict the entire cycle of the Old Testament, complete with a 20m (66ft) Christ Pantocrator with saints, while aisle mosaics narrate miracles of the New Testament. The warm-hued human figures are thought to be the work of Venetian mosaicists.The cathedral’s lovely cloisters offer a moment of spiritual meditation along the arcades of delicate carved twin chevron-fluted columns and an almost sensual pleasure among the exotic flowers and trees and Arab fountain of its garden.
4. Siracusa
Syracuse (Siracusa), a Corinthian settlement founded in 734BC, was once a rival to Athens. Today, it is an elegant, cultured town, benefiting from restoration work under the aegis of Unesco. The excellent Museo Archeologico Paolo Orsi offers an overview of the earlier cultures of the island. The principal excavated site, the Zona Archeologica, sits on the northwest corner of the modern city. A classical drama festival is held in May and June in the 5th-century bc Greek theatre.
5. Best street food
Sfinciuni: Slightly spicy Sicilian pizza with tomato sauce, onions, anchovies, oregano and breadcrumbs, and maybe with caciocavallo cheese – often bought from friggitorie (fried food stands).
Arancini: filling, deep-fried rice balls filled with meat or vegetables and bought from markets or street stalls.
Pane e panelle: deep-fried (yes, it’s traditional) chick pea fritters served in a warm sesame bun.
Pani ca’ meusa: veal spleen sandwich, a Palermitan special for those with strong stomachs.
Fishy snacks: from calamari fritti (fried) to seafood nibbles such as clams, oysters, sardines, or even boiled octopus, all can be eaten on the run.
6. Mount Etna
Europe’s highest volcano, Mount Etna currently stands at 3,323m (10,902ft) above sea level, but varies according to eruptions or lava deposits. Getting close to the craters of this highly volatile volcano is an extraordinary experience, but access is not always allowed. A number of hikes, of varying degrees of difficulty, are organised, usually via Linguaglossa on the north side. For advice on current conditions and routes contact the Etna Regional Park.
7. Agrigento – Valley of the Temples
The major attraction at Agrigento is its 5th-century BC Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples). The Temple of Concord, idyllically set on a precipice amid acacia and almond trees, is the best-preserved Doric temple in Sicily. Nearby is the oldest of the shrines, the Temple of Hercules, whose eight columns have been re-erected to give some idea of its original grandeur.
8. Ragusa
Ragusa, a city divided into two distinct entities, with Ragusa Ibla the star, and undergoing a revival. As a Baroque city recreated on a medieval street plan, an old-world intimacy prevails. Ibla is a place of moods rather than sights, graced by secret shrines, tawny-coloured mansions, filigree balconies and friendly bars. Piazza Duomo is lined by palm trees and mansions but the centrepiece is San Giorgio, a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque.
9. Noto
The theatrically Baroque town of Noto stands on a ridge of the Iblei Mountains, furrowed by a long and straight road which widens out into wonderful inclined squares. Here Spanish Baroque architecture triumphs in churches, palaces and monasteries, all cast in golden-coloured stone. Piazza Municipio encompasses a riot of pilasters, adorned windows, loggias, terraces and bell towers. Another highlight is Palazzo Villa-Dorata: a facade incorporating Ionic columns and balconies awash with lions, cherubs, gorgons and monsters.
10. Aeolian Islands
The Sicilian experience should end with a taste of adventure, and the best place for this is the Aeolian Islands (Isole Eolie) in the Golfo di Patti off the north coast. Vulcano, the first stop for the ferry (from Milazzo), offers yellow sulphurous baths and volcanic craters. Lípari is the largest and most populated; its pumice beach has the only white sand in the archipelago. Salina, the highest and greenest, is topped by two symmetrical volcanoes.
The smallest and most exclusive island is Panarea; with little white houses framed by luxuriant vegetation, it is a refuge for wealthy tourists and luxury yachts. Stromboli, the ‘black giant’, has just two villages, separated by burning lava flows. Like Etna, it is constantly active, and rumblings can be heard at frequent intervals. Filicudi and Alicudi have no modern comforts and no running water, but they are a paradise for divers and marine-life enthusiasts, and anyone who loves peace and solitude.
11. Sicilian desserts
One of Sicily’s best-kept secrets is its cuisine. Only a few Sicilian dishes, like the sweet-and-sour aubergine side-dish known as caponata or the ricotta-filled cannoli, have crossed the Straits of Messina to find fame and fortune abroad.
Here are some classic Sicilian desserts:
Cannoli: crunchy, rich, ricotta-filled sweet pastries studded with candied fruit and chocolate.
Cassata: dessert made from sweetened ricotta, candied fruit, almond paste and sponge cake.
Gelati: Sicilians lay claim to having invented ice cream and make some of the best.
Granita: sorbet made with fresh fruit or coffee and often served with a brioche for breakfast or any time of day.
Frutta alla Martorana: invented by nuns, with marzipan moulded into convincing recreations of fresh fruit.
12. Selinunte and Segesta
The splendid temples of Selinunte stand on a promontory between a river and plain, perfumed by selinon, the wild parsley that gave its name to the Greek colony. At Segesta, an imposing Doric temple has survived. It stands on the side of a wind-beaten hill, propped up by 36 columns. Further up is the theatre, where open-air performances are held in July and August.
13. Cefalù
Sitting snugly below a headland, Cefalù is Taormina’s west coast rival. Taormina has better hotels, nightlife and atmosphere, but Cefalù is more compact, peaceful and family-oriented. Cefalù’s fame lies in its medieval charm and great Arab-Norman cathedral. These luminous Byzantine mosaics are among the earliest created by the Normans yet are also praised as the purest extant depiction of Christ. Along with Monreale Cathedral and Palermo’s Arab-Norman district, Cefalù Cathedral is a candidate for Unesco World Heritage listing.
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